A Dawn of a New Adventure
by joxxmarie
Summary: The Sinnoh Arch has come to an end and Dawn is left wondering what she'll do now that her closest friends are gone.  Might be a one-shot, I haven't decided yet.  Possible Ikarishipping.   Rated T for good measure.


So I just watched the ending of Diamond and Pearl and felt Dawn's character wasn't said goodbye to properly.  
Best Wishes is starting up in about a week and I'm counting down till Black and White come out.  
I just wrote this up and wanted to get this up as soon as possible because I probably wouldn't have gotten around to it otherwise.

I miss writing on here. I guess I should get back to doing it again.  
Oh, and Happy New Year everyone! Even though, you know, it's already February ;D

* * *

Dawn sat at the very edge of Lake Verity, contemplating everything in her head, while her Pokemon splashed about in the lake's water. What would she do next?

Now that her closest friends for the past few years were gone, she felt as if she'd been left behind; unsure and distressed. Maybe because that's what she feared the most; to be discarded like some piece of trash. _Nothing like losing all of your confidence, eh, Dawn? _But she knew she hadn't been. Ash had just finished collecting the badges of Sinnoh and competing in the Sinnoh League and needed another challenge. And Brock, well, he had to go home and do some soul searching to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.

Even while she knew that, it still didn't change her predicament. Her friends had left for Kanto and she was here, in ever-frigid Sinnoh. Alone. _There's always Kenny,_ her mind whispered, though she swiped that thought away as soon as it surfaced. The idea of being called "Dee Dee" for months on end or trying to avoid those quiet, awkward moments he'd recently began to cause did not sound appealing in the least. Maybe she would . . .

"Oh who am I kidding?" she mumbled, putting her face in her hands.

She didn't know what she would do, though the whole "starting over with a fresh slate" thing sounded like a cop out to her. Suddenly Twinleaf felt foreboding, looming over Dawn and ready to suffocate her at any given moment. As much as she loved her hometown, she knew she couldn't stay and that she had to go on with her own journey. Even if that meant going on it alone. Though there was the whole matter of figuring out where exactly that would take her.

"I don't know, who are you kidding?" a male voice suddenly spoke directly behind her.

At that, the azure-haired girl jumped, then fumbled about to turn around while making sure her skirt stayed in place. Blue eyes wide, she realized who it was.

"P-Paul?" Dawn stammered, looking over at the boy who was lounging back in the grass, arms criss-crossed behind his head. His eyes remained closed, even at her slightly hysterical tone.

"Hmmm?" he hummed in reply.

"What are you doing _here_" the girl gestured to his form that had been just feet behind her, "while I'm right _here_?" He'd missed her twitching eye.

He shrugged his shoulders against the grass. "You seemed preoccupied. I figured you wouldn't bother me."

"There's a whole field surrounding the lake and you decide to sit _there_ of all places? Because you 'figured I wouldn't bother you'? How does that make any sense?"

He only shrugged again in response.

_Really? _Really?_ What is _wrong_ with that guy?_ She wasn't sure if he'd ever answer those questions either.

"So what were you thinking about? Before you were trying to kid people, I mean." Paul asked, never lifting his lids."

This time Dawn was the one to shrug and she shook her head at how ridiculous she was being. _I guess I should really be asking myself, "What's wrong with _me_?'._ Finally, she said, "I'm thinking about what I should do next. You know, now that this year's contests are over with . . . "

Paul nodded. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that too. What I'm going to do now, and how I'm going to get better."

"It's just that, I don't know. I feel like Sinnoh's different now. Even though I know that _I'm_the one that's changed. I don't feel like this place is my home anymore." Dawn shook her head and sighed, then turned around to see her Pokemon still playing. Her Piplup, though, made a point to turn to meet her gaze and seemed tense. He knew she was restless. She smiled at him and nodded, a silent '_It's okay_,' and it nodded back before returning to the game.

When she turned back around, Paul was sitting up and staring at her.

"What?"

"You ever think about going on a vacation?" he questioned, still staring over at her.

"Huh?"

"Vacation. Beaches, sun, warm weather. Nothing like Sinnoh."

"I know what a vacation is." she replied, rolling her eyes. "It just came out of nowhere and you caught me off guard." she thought for a moment, then added, "I think a vacation would be nice. I'd still end up training, but some warm weather would really hit the spot right about now. Why?"

"I was thinking about maybe going to Hoenn. New Pokemon to catch, new gyms to take on, and I've heard that they hold contests too. Made me think about you. What do you think?" he asked with a questioning brow.

Dawn didn't know what to say. "About going to Hoenn? W-with you?"

Paul nodded. "It's warmer there, humid even. And you wouldn't have to be there alone."

"But I'm talkative, Paul. Open with my opinions. You? Not so much. Would you even be able to deal with me?"

"I'm dealing with you now, aren't I?" He did have a point. _No this is crazy! Insane! It won't ever work, and then when I'm over in Hoenn, knowing absolutely no one, I'll be traveling all by myself._ But she did know someone in Hoenn. May. So if worst ever comes to worst . . . _I'm not really considering this, am I? Yes, I really am. And what about Buneary? She was supposed to model for Hermione. I'll let her decide if she wants to stay here with Mom or go to Hoenn with me. So it's decided. Or is it?_

"Soooo?" Paul asked, probably questioning himself as much as he was her.

"To Hoenn?" Dawn questioned.

"To Hoenn." He agreed.

She thought again for a moment and finally gave a nod. Paul nodded back to her and stood up, then helped her do the same. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"Neither can I." he said quietly, then added "You better go pack. The ferry leaves in a few days." He turned to leave. Over his shoulder, he muttered "I'm staying at the Pokemon Center here. Just so you know."

Dawn's head was swimming. So much had occurred just in the last moments. And then it hit her, "You're telling me I only have a few days to buy a whole new wardrobe? Paul!"

Either he didn't hear her, or he'd just ignored her remark since he'd continued on his way. He could be so impossible to deal with sometimes. All the time, she mentally corrected herself. And she was going to be traveling with him. For a while. "Well if he thinks I'm going to be quiet around him just so that he stays with me, he's got another thing coming." She had a backup. No need to worry! "And he isn't going to be mean to his Pokemon around me." She was already planning it out, her new adventure.

She smiled as she turned back to her own pokemon. They'd grown so much since she'd gotten each one. So had she. And they were about to take on another adventure where they'd be able to grow up together, even more. Suddenly a few days seemed much longer than it actually was. She was anxious for the future.

"What do you guys think of going on a little vacation?"

As her pokemon cheered, something pink caught her eye though it was gone again before she could identify what it had been. She shrugged, then picked up her Piplup. From it's spot in the sky, Mesprit waved goodbye to the group and wished them off on their new journey before the girl could catch sight of it again.

"We're not starting over." she said in a sure tone to her starter Pokemon. "We're going on a completely new adventure."

* * *

So, what do you think? Any better than the one given on the show?  
I know, Paul and Dawn - _whaaaaaaaatttt?_  
I'm an Ikarishipper, I'm sorry! It can't be helped. Though I think I did a pretty good job staying true to their characters.  
Nothing too fluffy and mushy. Reminds me . . . Valentine's Day is coming up.  
Maybe I should write something for it. Don't hold you're breath, though ;D


End file.
